Twenty years after the first 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea and Japan, the tournament will return to Asia with numerous matches being played at Al Thumama Stadium, a venue that, in a way, represents the link between the two tournaments.

Part of the team behind the design of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar proposed host venue were involved in preparations for the first Asian tournament, it was reported yesterday on the website of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC).

South Korean design consultant Heerem Architects & Planners participated in readying Incheon International Airport, the gateway of Korea, to welcome football fans in 2002. Young Kyoon Jeong, CEO of Heerem Architects, an avid football fan, spoke about his role in preparations for 2022. He said: “We feel very proud for the second World Cup to be held in Asia 20 years since it was actually last held in our country, Korea. “We believe that the Qatar World Cup will be the most successful and the most sustainable sporting event in its history.”

The project was led by Qatari architect Ibrahim M Jaidah, and working alongside a renowned local practitioner, Jeong said, was a crucial part of the process.“Understanding the value of unique social and cultural contexts of a region is critical in developing an optimum solution for any design project,” he explained. “The works of the Qatari architect has supported and shown us of the important regional, historical and cultural backgrounds of the project which Heerim has absorbed and integrated into and with our own solution-oriented know-hows to create a dynamic, one of a kind sports venue for this event.”

Jeong is the head of a Sports Design team with extensive experience in a number of mega-sporting events including the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, and says his company is committed to building stadiums for the future. “From preparing bid books to designing tournament venues, overlays and legacy mode of the event, our portfolio stands as an evidence of our collective expertise and knowledge in securing the biggest sporting events,” he said. “With the growing trend towards building sustainable stadiums, we plan to focus on sharing and incorporating our sustainability design strategies especially for the post-tournament legacy use.”

The legacy plans for 2022 FIFA World Cup proposed host venues will serve as a momentum to future tournament opportunities in other Middle East and Asia regions. “The profound legacy built through this success will elevate Qatar and the Middle East region,” he concluded.